Baba Balbir Singh: ‘Polluting industries are killing people. They must be held accountable’

GAUTAM DHEER: You were featured in the Time magazine as an environment hero. However,your political associations are unknown to people. Do you think the Congress fielding Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar was justified?
Baba Seechewal: The 1984 riots saw around 3,000 people massacred,a fact that cannot be ignored. It is a national shame and a big blot on humanity. If people are raising their voice and crying injustice,they are justified. These people do not have a personal agenda or an axe to grind. They simply want the government to do justice to them. The onus of identifying the truth and bringing the guilty to book lies with the government.

MUKESH BHARDWAJ: You took the responsibility of cleaning Kali Bein and succeeded. The same way,politics is also dirty,do you have any plans to foray into politics and then clean itsimilarly?
Baba Seechewal: Politics is one field that requires no qualification. Every Tom,Dick and Harry can enter the field. Money plays a big role in elections. All parties should be brought on track and only responsible persons should be given tickets. We would like all parties to include issues relating to environment in their manifesto. I shall,however,like to carry on the job which I have undertaken.

RAJNI SHALEEN CHOPRA: Since you have brought visible changes in environment,why dont you do the same for politics?
Baba Seechewal: My aim is social service. Politics is not my aim. I am contented doing social work. The leaders of our country are not playing the part they are supposed to for preservation of environment. There is an immediate need for people to feel concerned about these causes. Making them realise that the real power to change is vested in them has become vital.

VIPIN PUBBY: With elections around the corner,what is your appeal to the electorate?
Baba Seechewal: People should elect only those leaders who are concerned about issues such as preservation of environment,provision of clean water,eradication of the menace of drugs and those who would genuinely work for the development of education and infrastructure.

VANDANA SHARMA: What is the extent of damage to environment in Punjab?
Baba Seechewal: Punjab,the land of the gurus,was once known for its purity of environment,thought and action. And now the very elixir of life,water,has been polluted with poison with so many industries discharging harmful chemicals in rivers. Take the case of Kala Singha drain. The water is as good as poison and people have no choice but to consume it. Deaths due to polluted water have become commonplace. The judiciary as well as the administration have become apathetic. While the government chooses to turn a blind eye,if one goes to court,it only delays the matter. PILs as old as five years are pending in courts. There is no compensation for the family of the deceased. No one is bothered. Someone has to rise and take stock of the situation. We are doing that. If someone is murdered or attacked,the culprit is charged under IPC Section 302 or 307. Industries,too,are killing people through pollutants and are responsible for the effects of such pollution. Why are not they held accountable for the mass murders? They should be made to pay for causing health hazards and even deaths.

AARISH CHHABRA: What contribution are you making in such cases? Also,many new thermal power plants are coming up in the region. How will these affect the region?
Baba Seechewal:We have been putting in the best of efforts to make the world aware of the issue of pollution and how the affected are suffering. We are taking intellectuals,mediapersons,doctors and NGOs to these places so that they get to see for themselves how bad conditions are. The health department exists just in name and administration is a mute spectator. Punjab is the food bowl of India,the crowning jewel. Even two decades of terrorism could not deter the spirit of this land of martyrs,but those polluting the state are affecting the very spirit of Punjabis.

RAJNI SHALEEN CHOPRA: How can those living in urban areas join your movement and contribute to the cause?
Baba Seechewal: The best contribution will be to start from your own home. If we keep our surroundings clean,we are doing a big favour to the environment. The objective is to create awareness for the welfare of the nature,be it in any way. It then spreads to the community and the region and the country.

GAUTAM DHEER: How do you generate funds for the cause?
Baba Seechewal: A large part of our work is done through voluntary service or kar sewa. We make no payment for it and villagers and volunteers do not expect any either. In fact the villagers organise free langar and bring food from home. Youth and children also join in large numbers. However,we still need funds to purchase and operate big machines and for that we try to get help from non-resident Indians. We welcome such donations and are grateful to all those who have lent us a hand.

SUKHDEEP KAUR: When you took up the cause of environment,did you anticipate that you would get such fame?
Baba Seechewal:We are not working for fame. Purifying environment is a matter of utmost importance to us. Our ancestors gave us clean and healthy surroundings . We,on the other hand,have polluted everything; from water to food to the air. We are deceiving ourselves by doing all this. My work is based on preserving and improving the nature that we have inhabited from the elders and which we have to give to our future generations.

NAINU ROHTAKI: What is the kind of extent of damage due to pollution ?
Baba Seechewal: Social evils like female foeticide,rape and murder are all due to the polluted food and water we are forced to consume. It has corrupted our minds as well and the result is for all to see. Things cannot get worse. The youth is going towards drugs and inhaling polluted air or drinking polluted water is similar to taking drugs. It has a direct impact on society. I want to draw your attention to the fact that society was much healthier,both physically and mentally,when there was little pollution. People used to live longer and didnt face the kind of diseases they face now.

VANDANA SHARMA: Himachal is reeling under the pressure of a crumbling environment and it has direct impact on the plains. Do you plan to initiate some projects in Himachal?
Baba Seechewal: I focus on one thing at a time. Once my responsibilities towards Punjab are taken care of,I will move to other areas. Kali Bein was a big problem and we achieved the desired results because we paid complete attention to the problem. Now we are trying to focus on Buddha Nallah in Ludhiana. However,nothing is moving further because the administration is not concerned. In fact,former President APJ Abdul Kalam had also asked me to initiate a project for cleaning the Yamuna in Delhi. Lets see what the future holds.

RAKESH CHOPRA: What inspired you to become an environmentalist?
Baba Seechewal: While pursuing my graduation at DAV College,Nakodar,I met my guru who enlightened me about what real knowledge is. Gurbani,too,has helped me find my true calling. I was drawn towards him seeing the selfless service he was doing. Participating in it gave me immense satisfaction.

RAGHAV OHRI: Are the courts of any help in your mission ?
Baba Seechewal: As I said,taking a matter to court only delays it. I would even go to the extent of saying that the delay usually helps the accused,though unintentionally.

KHUSHBOO SANDHU : Have you ever faced opposition in any of the villages and is there any change in the attitude of the industrialists?
Baba Seechewal: Nowhere have I experienced hostility. We tell the villagers about the benefits of preserving environment and also the damage being done by pollution. I would blame the administration. All the violations are being done with the full knowledge and even connivance of government officials. As regards the industrialists,they know that they are wrong but are too thickskinned to take action. It is a grave problem. It is for the people now to wake up.